Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1887-12-06
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TO.DAY,s TELEGRAPEIIC NEWS.
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

dent sent to Congress to day his message,
which relates almost exclusively to discus
sion of the tariff, and gives cogept reasons
for a radical revision Of the laws and reduc-
ton in the rates Nv opens as follows:
To the Congress of the United States:
You are confronted at the threshold oil
YOUR legislative duties with condition or
the national finances which imperatively
demands immediate and careful consider
alton.
The amount of money annually exacted,
through the operation of present laws, from
the industries and necessities of the people,
largely exceeds the sum necessary to meet
the expenses of the Government.
When we consider that the theory of cur
institutions guarantees to every citizen the
full endowment of all the fruits of his indus
;ry and enterprise, with only such deduction
"a NAV be his share towards the careful and
economical maintenance Of the Government
which protects him, it is plain that the ex-
action of more than this is irdefensible ex.
torlion, aud culpable betrayal of American
fairness and Justice. This wrong Inflicted
unon those who bear the burden OF natiosal
taxation, like other wrongs, multiplies a
brood of evil consequences. The public
treasury. which should only exist as 8 con-
duit conveying the peoples tribute 10 its le-
gitimate objects OF expenditure, becomes a
boarding place for money needlessly with
drawn from trade and the peoples use, thus
Gripping our national energies, suspeDding
our country's development. preventing in
vestment In productive enterprise, threaten
ing financial disturbance, and inviting
schemes of public plumber.
This condition Of our treasury is not alto
gether new and it has more than once OF
late been submitted 10 the peoples repre-.
sentatives In tho Congress, who alone can
apply a remedy. And yet the situation still
continues, with aggravated incidents, more
than ever presaging financial CONFUSION
and widespread disaster.
1t will not DO to neglect this situation be-
cauSeits dangers are not now alpably immi.
nent and apparent. They exist none the less
certainly, and await the unforeseen and un-
expected occasion when suddenly they will
be precipitated upon US.
Our surplus revenues have continued to
accumulate, the excess for the present year
amounting on the 1st day of December to
SIT, 25S, 7Ol19, and est!mate1 to reach the
sum of $4,000. 900 on the Both of June
next, at which date it is expected that this
suu, added to prior accumulations, will
swell the surplus in the Treasury to $140,,
100000.
In the present state of legislation the only
pretense of any existing executive power to
restore, at this time, any part of our surplus
revenues to the people by its expenditure,
consists in the superstition that the Score.
tary may enter the market and purchase
the bonds of the Government not yet due, at
rate of premium to be agreed upon. No
condition ought 10 exist which would iusti
fly the grant of power to a single official.
upon his judgment of its necessity, 10 with
hold from or release 10 The business of the
people, ia an unusual manner, money held
in the Treasury, and thus affect, al his will,
the financial situation of the country; and
if it is deemed wise to lodge in the Secretary
of the Treasury the authority in the present
iuncture to purchase bonds, it should be
plainly vested, and provided as far as posi-
bic, with such checks and limitations as will
define this officials right and discretion,
and at the same time relieve him from un
due responsibility.
The proposition to deposit The money
held by the Government in banks through
out The country, for use by the people, is, it
seems to me, exceedingly Objectionable in
principle, as establishing too close rela-
tionship between the operations Of the Gov
eminent Treasury and the business of the
country, and too extensive comminglrg
of their money, thus fostering an unnatural
reliance in private business upon public funds.
Our scheme OF taxation, by means oil
which this needless surplus is taken from
the people and put into the public treasury,
consists of tariff or duty levied upon i'm
portations from abroad, and internal rev.
enue taxes levied upon the consumption of
tobacco aud spirituous aud malt liquors, II
must be conceded that none Of the things
subjected to internal revenue taxation are,
strictly speaking, neCessaries; there appears
to be no just complaint Of this taxation by
tie consumers Of these articles, and there
seems to he nothing SO well able to bear the
burden without hardship to any portion of
the people.
But our present tariff laws, the vicious,
cessary taxation, ought to be at once revised
and amended. These laws raise the price
to consumers of all articles imported and
subject to duty, by precisely the sum paid
for such duties Many ofthese things, how.
ever, are raised or manufactured in our own
country, and the duties now levied upon
foreign goods and products are called pre-.
lection to these home manufactures, because
they render it possible for those Of our peo-
Pile who are manufacturers to make these
taxed articles and sell them for a price equal
to that demanded for the imported goods
that have paid customs duty. So it hap
pens that while comp ratively Il few use the
imported articles, millions of our people,
who never use and never cav any Of the
foreign products, purchase and use things
of the same kind made in this country, and
pay therefor nearly or quite the same en-
HANGED price which The duty adds TO the
imported articles. Those who buy imports
pay the duty charged thereon into the pub
lie treasury, but the great majority of our
citizens, who buy domestic articles OF the
same class, pay sum at least approximate
ly equal to this duty to the home MANI,
faoturer.
1t is not proposed 10 entirely relieve the
country of this taxation. 1t must be exten.
al 80 L.